Welcome to Reading the Book Travel

I’m Jill Bowdery, a British blogger who has been travelling for more than 15 years, visiting 65+ countries on 6 continents. I love to travel both solo and with groups, and to discover the cultures and peoples of the countries I visit. And I love to share a good story or two along the way!

Kiev, Ukraine’s magnificent capital city, is a great destination for a short break on the eastern edges of Europe. But one of its major draws, and the most popular reason for a day trip out of the city, is its proximity to the Chernobyl exclusion zone, scene of one of...

Kiev, capital city of Ukraine, is a bustling metropolis with plenty to see and do. But how do you get around the city and make the most of your visit? Luckily, the Kiev metro is one of the greatest in the world - cheap, easy to use and with a wealth of beautiful...

Kiev (or Kyiv), capital of the vast nation of Ukraine, is a city which has hit the headlines in recent years for many reasons. From the fall of communism in the 1990s to the recent tensions with Russia over the occupation of the Crimean peninsula, the city has had a...

Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine, is a wonderful destination in its own right. But what if you’ve run out of things to do in Kiev, or just fancy checking out some other places to visit in Ukraine? To really get a feel for a country, I love to take a day trip outside...

Christmas Glow displays have increased in popularity in recent years, but where are the best ones to visit? If you are visiting London during the festive period and have access to a car, or simply live in the local area, Wisley Glow at the Royal Horticultural Society...

There’s nowhere quite like London as Christmas approaches. Grand department stores, historic churches and elegant streets are thronged with locals and visitors alike; but it is the Christmas lights for which the city is particularly renowned at the festive season. If...

If you’re visiting the small Balkan nation of Montenegro, you will likely be focussing your trip on the popular coastal towns of Kotor and Budva. But if you fancy something a little different during your stay, why not take a day trip to Albania’s capital, Tirana?Drita...

There is something about the Middle East which has long captured my imagination. A mysterious region of deserts, mosques and camels, the region confuses and delights in equal measures. Often misunderstood by the rest of the world, it is one of my favourite regions to...

Reading the Book Travel

Reading the Book Travel inspires travellers of all ages to head just that little bit off the beaten track.

Via a mixture of solo travel and small-group adventures, discover unusual and less-visited destinations from every corner of the globe. Reading the Book Travel is not about scaling mountains or taking risks, it’s about exploring those everyday places that will open your eyes to the wider world.